The Wait
by moments-of-weakness
Summary: Coda for episode 1.18.  Steve waits...


**Title**: "Waiting"

**Paring/s**: Steve/Danny

**Disclaimer: **I in no way own any part of Hawaii Five-0 or the characters, just borrowing and playing a little bit.

**Warnings/Spoilers: **Takes place right after episode 1.18

**Summary**: Steve waits...

Steve stood alone in the hotel room a minute or two longer than he probably should have after watching Danny run out after his brother. He slowly walked to his truck, everything with Danny and Matt weighing heavy on his mind. Family first is what he'd said earlier and Steve knew he was right in sending the Feds in the wrong direction, in giving Danny the time he would need to get to his brother and talk some sense into him. Steve just wasn't sure if he should have gone with him to help in whatever way Danny might need. Steve turned the key, put his truck in gear, and headed home.

Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett had cleaned every gun in his home, washed the dirty dishes, messed around with the Marquis a bit and still not heard a word from Danny. He even picked up a couple of books and tried reading. There could be a million different reasons but in his gut he had a feeling it didn't go well with Matt. Danny was either alone or with...well; Steve was hoping for alone more than the other option rattling around in his head.

He tried sleeping in bed, on the couch, in a couple of different chairs, and nothing. Steve knew he was not going to sleep until he heard from Danny. The more time that ticked away on the clock, the more his heart seemed to ache. Steve opened his refrigerator and grabbed a six-pack, before slamming the door closed and heading out to the lanai to drink away the bad feeling he couldn't shake any other way.

Steve admitted to himself ages ago that Detective Daniel Williams had barreled his way into his heart whether he thought it was a good idea or not. Danny was a force of nature Steve had no ability to stop...SEAL or not, he was pretty sure no one could stop that man from getting in deep and if they tried, they'd only come to realize how stupid they were to try and stop him. He had this giant heart made of gold and if you were lucky enough to get in, Danny would move heaven and earth for you. Steve sighed and took a swig of beer as he realized he would move heaven and earth for Danny and lasso the moon if he could just so Danny could give it to Grace.

Steve leaned back in the chair after finishing his third beer and looked up at the stars; absent-mindedly reached over for his fourth, removed the lid and drank almost half of it in one gulp. "Fuck," he said and slowly finished the rest of the six-pack, fighting sleep. He knew it would be a losing battle after the last beer.

_x x x x x x _

Danny had planned on going to his apartment once he left Rachel's but he couldn't. For some reason it seemed a little too much like the motel he spent so much time in with Matt so he couldn't go there yet. He drove around, fighting the urge to go where his gut told him would be the place where he belonged after a night like he'd had but again he failed. He'd failed in his marriage. He'd failed his brother. And now he'd failed in his piss-poor attempt to stay away from his partner because he didn't want to fail him too. Steve was the one person he never wanted to fail because it would take away just about everything that mattered to him in his world right now.

He sighed when he pulled into Steve's driveway. Danny shut off his car, opened the door, got out slowly using that moment to stretch his legs and closed the door quietly while certain Steve would hear him. Danny couldn't see any lights on in the house and contemplated going home but he knew he would go insane if he didn't at least set eyes on Steve. He seemed to be the one to always center Danny when his life seemed out of control. Danny entered the house through the front door and made his way up the stairs to Steve's bedroom assuming he would be sleeping with the house dark. The bed was empty and now Danny wasn't sure if Steve was even home. He thought he saw the truck but now wasn't sure where Steve might be in the house. Danny quietly wandered through rooms searching for his partner while keeping his guard up in case he freaked Steve out and the other man came at him in full SEAL mode. Danny finally made his way to the lanai and smiled warmly at the sight of the man he had been searching for in so many ways.

Steve had a bottle of beer in one hand, tipped over, and the other hand was resting across his chest. His mouth was slightly open and Danny held back a chuckle when he heard Steve lightly snoring.

Danny knelt beside him, taking the bottle from his hand and placing it beside the others before gently touching his arm. He brushed his other hand against Steve's cheek causing him to stir.

"Danny." Steve tried opening his eyes.

"Hey."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm pretty sure I'll feel better than you will in a few hours. I'm much better now though." Danny wanted to add that he was better now that he'd seen his partner but decided against it.

"You took too long to get here," Steve said as he tried to focus in on his surroundings.

"Too long?"

"Drinkin' until you got here and I finished six. Guess I fell asleep."

"Yeah, Steve, after a long day and a six-pack of course you fell asleep. Why were you waiting on me?"

"Dumbass. Why wouldn't I wait? I wanted to know if you got to him, if you talked to him, if you were okay with whatever ended up happening." Steve looked away from Danny and asked the question that nearly killed him to ask but that he needed an answer to even if it might very well break him. "Were you with Rachel?"

"What?" It took a moment to register in his mind and when Steve didn't repeat his question, Danny softly answered "yeah."

"Smell her perfume on you, Danny," he grumbled and leaned forward, swinging his legs off the side away from Danny, keeping his back to the other man as he continued, "Guess I knew you'd go to Rachel with Stan in Boston. The two of you have been getting along much better it seems."

"What?"

"You. Rachel. I saw it during the stakeout. Saw it at dinner. It's fine. You still love her. It's natural." He thought about trying to stand up but didn't attempt it, knowing he was still half asleep not to mention still fairly drunk so he didn't figure he could stand alone and he certainly wasn't in the mood anymore to feel Danny's arms wrapped around him after god knows what he'd done with Rachel.

Danny was dumbstruck. "Rachel? Me?"

"Yeah. And I really don't want to keep discussing it."

"Discussing?" Danny stood and crossed his arms so he didn't fling them all around while he spoke thinking it might make things worse. "You big oaf."

"Oaf?"

"Yes, Steven. Oaf."

"Okay, why am I an oaf?"

Danny walked around the chair, knelt in front of Steve, taking his hands before he spoke. "She likes Matty, always has. Got along better with my brother than she did with my sisters. I thought Rachel should know Matty left and I needed to see Gracie. I wasn't in good shape when I got there and she hugged me, trying to help me somehow. If Grace had opened the door I would have held on to her. Hell, I think I might have even hugged Stanley the shape I was in. Steve, I went there first in case news got out somehow and she had to tell Gracie. I did not want Rachel to be blindsided." He let go of Steve's left hand and reached up in an attempt to get the other man to look him in the eyes. "Steve, you are where I wanted to end up because I knew I would never sleep until I saw you, until I spoke to you."

"You've seen me, we've talked, and now I guess you're leaving." Steve did his best to avoid eye contact knowing he had too much alcohol in him to be strong and not break down like a teenage girl over a boy.

Danny stood, grabbing Steve's hands again as he straightened his body and tried pulling Steve to his feet. "Stop being a stubborn jackass and stand."

"Can't."

"You're a Navy man so do _not_ tell me a damn six-pack is keeping your ass in that chair. Or is it because you'll have to look at me if you stand?" Danny glared at him and let go of his hands.

Steve let out a sigh as he slowly got to his feet. He looked Danny square in the eyes and spoke, "There. Happy now?"

Danny smiled, saying, "Yes. Very happy." He held Steve's face in his hands and mumbled something about him being an oaf right before tenderly kissing him.

Steve kissed him back once he realized what was happening but still felt the need to be a stubborn jackass and kept his hands at his side.

Breaking away from him but making sure he didn't let go, Danny looked at Steve and quietly uttered, "You can touch me, Steve. I swear it was just a hug with Rachel. In her doorway with the door wide open as a matter of fact. Gracie woke up for water, I hugged Grace, kissed _Grace_, and put Grace back to bed right before leaving the house, driving around a while longer and then ending up here searching for your ass to let you know what happened and that I need _you_."

Steve let out a deep sigh and searched the other man's eyes for any sign he might be lying. "Yeah?"

Danny grinned. "Yeah."

Steve wrapped his arms around Danny and gave him the kiss he knew he should have given him the first time instead of being a big oaf. Someday he would learn...


End file.
